30 Minute Healthy Kale and Grass Fed Beef Chili
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30 minute quick and healthy kale and grass-fed beef chili, loaded with good for you veggies and the perfect amount of spices. Perfect for a quick healthy weeknight meal or a long lazy Sunday afternoon. Chili, but healthier.
I don’t know about you but when Thanksgiving is over I want to eat anything BUT Thanksgiving flavors. I am officially done with pumpkin, clove, cinnamon, squash, and turkey (for at least a few weeks). I crave clean, easy, simple, healthy food with a little kick of spice.
This kale and beef chili hit the spot! It is the perfect meal for between holidays when your time is short but nutritional needs are high.
Things you need to know about this Kale and Grass-Fed Beef Chili
- It is loaded with veggies! Each and every bite has a variety of tastes, colors, and textures – the secret to good chili IMHO.
- You can easily make it Paleo by eliminating the kidney beans – I am a huge bean fan (and I also take issue with the paleo community reasoning behind eliminating beans), so I always have beans in my chili.
- This is a quick chili, ready in 30 minutes.
- Toppings are king with chili, I love topping my chili with fresh cilantro, scallion, and sour cream or avocado.
Ingredients
- grass-fed ground beef
- bell peppers
- onion
- garlic
- kale
- whole tomatoes (canned)
- chili powder
- smoked paprika
- chipotle in adobo
- salt, and pepper
How to Make Healthy Chili
- Start with lots of veggies, I used 2 large bell peppers, onion, tomato and kale
- Use high-quality ground beef. I always prefer grass-fed. Grass-fed beef has a very different nutritional profile than conventionally raised beef. So different, in fact, that I think they should be called by different names. Grass-fed beef is higher in omega 3 fatty acids (anti-inflammatory) containing as much as five times the amount of conventionally raised beef. Grass-fed beef contains overall less fat than grain-fed/ conventionally raised beef.
- Don’t forget your spices! To keep things simple I only added chili powder and smoked paprika to this chili, but you can really add any spices that you like.
Super simple, easy to throw together, nourishing and delicious chili.
Other Chili Recipes You Might LOVE
Best Ever Chocolate Stout Vegetarian Chili
10 Super Healthy and Delicious Chili Recipes
Check out my fall recipes, ground beef recipes, quick weeknight dinner recipes and healthy Super Bowl recipes roundups for more tastiness!
Healthy Grass Fed Beef and Kale Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb. grass-fed ground beef
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion (1 cup chopped)
- 2 large bell peppers I used orange and red, 3 cups chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 small jalapeno, diced
- 28 ounce can whole peeled tomato
- 15 ounce can of kidney beans 1.75 cups
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp chipotle in adobo, chopped
- 3 cups kale chopped into bite size pieces
Toppings
- fresh cilantro
- sour cream
- scallions
- fresh diced jalapeno or other spicy chili
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat brown beef for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add olive oil to pot, add chopped onion, bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeno. Saute for 5 minutes.
- Add tomato, beans, and spices and reserved beef to pot and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
- Add chopped kale and stir until wilted (3-4 minutes).
- Serve topped with sour cream, scallion, and fresh cilantro.
Notes
- For paleo version eliminate kidney beans and do not top with sour cream
- For vegetarian version replace meat with 2 extra cans of beans
Nutrition
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Meet Abra Pappa, MS, CNS, LDN
Abra is a licensed nutritionist, seasoned home cook, and forever flavor-chaser. She’s spent more than two decades exploring the connection between food and health—and just as long obsessing over what makes something truly delicious. Abra’s Kitchen is where those two loves meet, with recipes that celebrate vegetables, follow the seasons, and make you excited to cook.
